


True

by CloversDreams



Category: Dr. STONE (Anime), Dr. STONE (Manga)
Genre: Confessions, Fantasy AU, Jealousy, M/M, Mirai is a very good girl, Pining, Realization of Feelings, Ryusui is a disaster, Sparring, Tsukasa is respectful of boundaries, it was a tad different because of this, its mutual but theyre dense, misunderstanding others feelings, so devoted and caring, that’s what caused the petrification not sCiEnCe, things are pretty much the same except theres magic, you could argue that it’s a soulmate au I suppose
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-04
Updated: 2020-09-09
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:27:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 15,282
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26287189
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CloversDreams/pseuds/CloversDreams
Summary: “Mister Ryusui meet Tsukasa… my big brother.”“Your what?” Ryusui practically tripped over his own two feet as he flailed his arms. Well that had been unexpected. No one ever mentioned that the cave-man had a younger sister. His jaw dropped and he couldn’t bring himself to say anything. Mirai didn’t seem to notice. She was too busy petting her brother’s hair.His gaze finally fell upon the bed in the center of the room and he swore that all the air was knocked right out of him. The man lying there wasn’t some terrifying ogre like others made him out to be. Actually, he was gorgeous. From his long, dark hair to his chiseled jaw, Ryusui couldn’t help but stare. He was left speechless for a whole other reason now. His fingers twitched with the desire to touch Tsukasa’s flawless skin. Just a light brush against the cheek would do. Perhaps a quick tangle into his hair. Then, when the moment was right, his eyes would flutter shut and–One brief brush of lips…A voice whispered in his head.What?No.
Relationships: Nanami Ryuusui/Shishiou Tsukasa
Comments: 13
Kudos: 33





	1. Chapter 1

Ryusui liked to think that he was quite an adaptable person. He could usually go with the flow of almost any situation he found himself in. Mostly, he’d had to learn to do that since he caused his own problems but that was neither here nor there. Yet nothing could’ve prepared him for the shock of waking up in a strange new world. Never mind learning that 3700 years had passed in what felt like the blink of an eye. The impossibility of the situation was unreal.

He smiled through it all, of course, and put the skills he’d worked so hard to gain in the Old World to good use. Ryusui was glad to find that both he and his butler were accepted into the village with open arms. Everyone was friendly and welcoming. They made sure to explain what kinds of things there were to do for fun– mostly involving low level spells that were mere parlor tricks compared to the ones from back in the day.

It was a shame knowing just how much knowledge was lost over the millennia. Though it did give those that were freed the upper hand if they wanted to show off or impress. Ryusui did like it when the villagers were in awe of the skills he had that no one would’ve batted an eye at back home. He thrived off the attention. Another thing everyone also made sure to explain to him was what dangers he should heed in this new world.

The one place that the villagers mentioned he should avoid was always the same. There was a certain cave over by the shore on the edge of the island. Apparently that was where a very dangerous man slumbered. His power was fearsome according to those that mentioned it. Though everyone assured Ryusui that there was no chance he’d ever wake, they all still seemed scared to talk about him. That just made Ryusui want to know more. It took a while for him to finally find someone willing to give him the details he was so very curious about. It was a little girl of all people.

Ryusui was out fishing near that cave one afternoon because it was a spot no one else ever used. That was a shame since it was a lively one and his haul was always good. While he hadn’t actually explored the nearby cave, he did find himself drawn to it. Though the warnings he’d received constantly rattled in his mind so he only ever went as close as the prime fishing spot he’d discovered. That didn’t mean he didn’t spare it a glance or twenty.

He’d just cast his net and looked around when he saw her. A little girl exited the supposedly terrifying cave. Ryusui’s eyes widened. Did she have no fear of the cursed man within? Everyone else warned him to stay away but she seemed unbothered.

He looked from the menacing cave to the girl who was the exact opposite of such. That was when his overwhelming curiosity got the better of him and he called out to her. She jumped in surprise but that melted into a warm smile as she greeted him.

“Hello, mister captain. I didn’t think you’d be all the way out here.”

It took Ryusui a moment to figure out how she knew who he was. Ah, the hat was probably a dead giveaway. Also, he was fairly certain he’d seen her selling snacks at one of the food stands. Oh! that’s right! He smiled and asked, “You’re Mirai, Suika’s friend, right?”

“That’s me!” She chirped.

Ryusui looked around them once again then asked, “What are you doing all the way out here by yourself? Aren’t you afraid?”

“Afraid of what?” Mirai asked right back.

Ryusui put his hands on his hips and tilted his head. “Well, the scary man in the cave you just left for starters.”

Mirai’s smile melted into a frown and for a second Ryusui was sure she was about to cry. Instead of that she simply shook her head and replied, “He’s not scary, mister captain.”

“Call me Ryusui, it’s fine… and what do you mean by that?” Ryusui asked. His curiosity was piqued. That was the exact opposite opinion of everyone else he’d talked to.

“I’ll show you!” Mirai took his hand and tugged him towards the cave.

Sure, Ryusui could’ve pulled away. He could’ve stopped walking and refused to go into that place. However, the thought didn’t cross his mind because he was so stinking curious about this man that everyone had warned him to stay away from. The powerful, terrifying person that was once a threat to this entire kingdom who a little girl swore wasn’t scary at all.

Ryusui held his breath as they crossed the threshold and entered the cave. He wasn’t even sure why. He knew that curses were no laughing matter, but it wasn’t like they were contagious or anything. That was another reason he was so confused about why everyone was so wary about this cave. They walked further inside and Mirai said a soft enchantment which made a half-dozen mini orbs of light appear. They flew to different spots of the cave and illuminated it enough so they could see. Ryusui looked around in awe.

It wasn’t all gross and overgrown and bug infested as he thought it might be. In fact, the place was so clean it looked like someone took great care tending to it. There were fresh flowers in pots in one corner. An interesting stone sword in another. Little trinkets piled up in yet another area. He could almost feel the love they put into their devotion to keeping it nice.

“Mister Ryusui meet Tsukasa… my big brother.”

“Your _what_?” Ryusui practically tripped over his own two feet as he flailed his arms. Well that had been unexpected. No one ever mentioned that the cave-man had a younger sister. His jaw dropped and he couldn’t bring himself to say anything. Mirai didn’t seem to notice. She was too busy petting her brother’s hair.

His gaze finally fell upon the bed in the center of the room and he swore that all the air was knocked right out of him. The man lying there wasn’t some terrifying ogre like others made him out to be. Actually, he was gorgeous. From his long, dark hair to his chiseled jaw, Ryusui couldn’t help but stare. He was left speechless for a whole other reason now. His fingers twitched with the desire to touch Tsukasa’s flawless skin. Just a light brush against the cheek would do. Perhaps a quick tangle into his hair. Then, when the moment was right, his eyes would flutter shut and–

_One brief brush of lips…_ A voice whispered in his head.

What?

No.

A shiver ran down his spine and Ryusui shuddered then looked around. Had he imagined that just now? He crossed his arms to keep any weird compulsions at bay. He glanced over at Mirai and saw her giving him a curious look. Time to change the subject. He cleared his throat then asked, “How’d he end up like this? If you don’t mind me asking?”

Mirai bowed her head in shame and whispered, “It was all my fault.”

“I’m sure that’s not true,” Ryusui replied with a shake of his head. A sweet girl like this? Impossible.

“I was the one who was cursed,” She explained, “and it was so powerful that it wasn’t lifted even after my depetrification.”

“Something so strong?” Ryusui couldn’t imagine who would cast such a thing on a little girl. Part of him wanted to ask, the other knew it wasn’t any of his business.

Mirai nodded and continued, “Mister Senku knew that I was the only real leverage the Kingdom of Science had to put an end to the war, so he promised my brother that he’d find a way to lift my curse no matter what.”

“That sounds like Senku, yeah.” Ryusui agreed.

“Eventually he found a compromise. Though not perfect, there was a spell to transfer a curse to someone else instead.” Mirai squeezed her eyes shut and tears slid down her cheeks. “My brother only had a moment to smile and pat me on the head then he was gone. He’s been like this for over a year now.”

Ryusui felt his heart squeeze in his chest. What a touching story of a beautiful bond between siblings. He had no idea how anyone could think of this man as a monster. Sure, he’d made some questionable decisions, but who could honestly say they hadn’t? Liars, that’s who.

He reached for the sobbing girl and pulled her into a hug. Ryusui hummed and pat her head gently. “Thank you for sharing the story with me even though its painful. I’m sure your brother would be so proud of you for being strong. Not to mention all the effort you put into tending to this place. He’s lucky to have someone who cares so much.”

Mirai hiccuped then hugged him tightly. “I miss him!”

Ryusui continued to comfort Mirai as she cried. Something told him that she’d been holding back these tears for a while. It was good to let them out. After a few minutes he pulled her away from him and used his shirt to wipe her cheeks.

Ryusui smiled from ear to ear as he asked, “How about I help you keep this place tidy? So you don’t have to do everything yourself?”

“Really? You mean it?” Mirai sniffled.

“On my honor as a captain!” Ryusui exclaimed.

Mirai tilted her head and blinked at him then asked, “Is that a weird way of saying yes?”

“Yes.”

She lit up afterwards, smiling through the tears. “Thank you, mister Ryusui! I can’t tell you how much it means to me!”

Mirai hugged him again and he chuckled. Ryusui’s gaze shifted to the slumbering man beside them. There was the strangest flutter in his gut as he watched Tsukasa lie there. Once again he swore he heard a whisper in the air.

_Just one kiss…_

It was actually quite an easy task helping Mirai out. She was pretty organized for someone so young. Ryusui would join her at the cave whenever he could slip away from his duties for about an hour. He found himself quite fond of her in no time. If the cursed man was related to someone so sweet he couldn’t be all bad, right? There was probably something the villagers didn’t see.

On afternoons that he found himself alone in the cave Ryusui would think out loud. He’d voice whatever thoughts popped into his head as if Tsukasa could or would listen. He even joked around saying that the guy was the best listener he’d ever met. Ryusui had always been one to laugh at his own jokes so he thought it was hilarious. He hadn’t received any complaints.

While he liked to kid around as much as the next guy, Ryusui also had a purpose to his constant blathering when he was alone with Tsukasa. That whisper he’d initially thought was a figment of his imagination was kept at bay if he didn’t stop talking. There was no chance for it to weave through his mind and consume his thoughts.

Ryusui had nearly been consumed by it more than once. It was after the third time that he found himself leaning towards giving into his impulse that he had a realization. Curses weren’t contagious in themselves, no, but effects of such could absolutely be felt by those in close proximity to them. He came to the conclusion that this was probably what the voice in his head was. An odd effect of the curse upon Tsukasa. As such, his best bet was to ignore it.

He casually tried to get more information but found that Mirai didn’t have details about the curse. Not that it was surprising. He considered asking Senku about it since the guy found a way to swap the curse so he must have some knowledge about it and all, but he simply hadn’t gotten around to it. Something was always abuzz in the village and their top alchemist was always busy thinking up new ways to improve the people’s quality of life. Not to mention Ryusui wouldn’t know how to explain his own curiosity on the subject.

Just over a month passed since that day he’d agreed to help Mirai out on a whim. Sometimes he wondered just what drove him to say he would. Ryusui shrugged it off as his distaste for seeing ladies cry, no matter their age. He was alone in the cave today, as Mirai needed to help Suika run their little shop. Ryusui could respect them prioritizing making money and had no issue checking up on the place himself. It wasn’t like anything interesting would happen, anyway. Quick in and out, then back to his own work.

As soon as he stepped foot into the cave he paused and shook his head. Weird. It felt like a gust of wind attempted to push him back. That was impossible of course since there was no wind coming from an enclosed space like that. Ryusui wandered further inside until he stood next to Tsukasa’s bed.

The dark-haired man looked peaceful, as usual. Ryusui found that to be comforting for some reason. Maybe because he’d actually come to enjoy talking to him as strange as that seemed. Without thinking he reached over and gently let the tips of his fingers caress the slumbering man’s cheek. A tingling sensation ran from his fingers all the way up his arm then into his chest. All right. Jot that down as being weird.

Still, Ryusui didn’t remove his hand. He was fascinated. Tsukasa’s skin was warm. Ryusui didn’t know why he’d expected it to be cool to the touch, but this was intriguing. He curled his fingers and brushed his knuckles against the cheek. Something about the feeling of the warm skin against his made him feel like he was in a daze. His eyes were half-lidded and difficult to keep open now. To make matters worse, the whisper had returned.

_His heart is calling out to you… can’t you hear it?_

“What?” Ryusui asked aloud. He blinked the odd grogginess from his eyes then shook his head. Ridiculous. Some guy he’d never met before wouldn’t call out to him, heart or otherwise. He pulled his hand away from Tsukasa and looked around then frowned when a breeze came out of nowhere and tousled his hair playfully.

_Kiss kiss kiss kiss kiss kiss…_

“Will you leave me be if I do it?” Ryusui asked the voice. He received no answer, not that he was surprised. He was probably losing his mind. The fact that he was actually considering it just to appease a disembodied voice was proof enough. No one was around though. It’d be their little secret so no harm done, right? He wondered for a moment if he should be more against this. Ryusui couldn’t begin to fathom why he actually wanted to give it a try. Maybe if he gave into temptation just this once he’d finally be rid of the nagging voice. There was only one way to find out.

Ryusui tucked his hair behind his right ear then bent down. He paused right before their lips touched and wondered if he’d gone mad. He should just turn around and leave. There really was no need to do something like this. In fact, he could probably think of a list of reasons not to.

_KISS!_

He made a surprised noise when the voice yelled in a way it never had before. Ryusui jolted with the motion and that inched him forwards just enough for their lips to touch. A little static shock zapped him then he grunted. This just wasn’t his day.

Suddenly, a ball of blindingly bright light materialized out of thin air. Ryusui bolted upright and held up his left hand to shield his eyes. His free hand fell to the hilt of the sword upon his hip. He couldn’t be sure that’d be effective depending on the situation, but he was ready to find out. To his surprise, the light simply fizzled out. Nothing happened at all. Ok then.

Ryusui looked around and didn’t see anything weird. In fact, the cave looked completely undisturbed. There was no shred of evidence that anything out of the ordinary had just happened. Huh. What a pointless spell. Was it a scare tactic or something to ward off intruders who may touch the guy? Ryusui had no idea.

He glanced at Tsukasa just in time to watch him gasp and his eyes snap open. Stunning, amber eyes shifted towards him. Ryusui was sure that all the air had left the cave suddenly. He couldn’t breathe. He couldn’t move. All he could do was stand there and gape as Tsukasa opened his mouth and uttered a single word.

“Ryusui.”

He wasn’t sure whether the surprised sound that escaped him was a yelp or a shriek, but either way it certainly was embarrassing. Ryusui attempted to take a step backwards but ended up tripping over his own two feet. The next thing he knew he was on the ground with a throbbing pain in his tailbone. He squeezed his eyes shut and rubbed the spot low on his back. Ouch.

He squeaked in surprise yet again when he opened his eyes to find Tsukasa standing before him with his hand outstretched. Ryusui looked up at him in awe. He stared into those amber eyes and couldn’t believe he was only seeing them for the first time. They felt like they could see right into his soul. His heart fluttered in his chest at the idea. It took Ryusui a moment longer than probably necessary to realize that he was offering to help him up.

He accepted the assistance without a second thought and let Tsukasa pull him to his feet. The hand that held his was so warm, so real. There was no way this was some delusion or strange dream. Ryusui’s eyes widened when his hand started to tingle. The sensation traveled up his arm to his elbow and he quickly pulled it away from the other man.

“You know my name!” It was an exclamation instead of a question. That hadn’t been what he’d been going for, but oh well. He held his hand to his chest and rubbed it idly.

“I know lots of things about you, yes,” Tsukasa nodded.

“How!” Ryusui shrieked. He completely ignored the fact that the sound of this man’s voice sent a shiver down his spine. That was something he hadn’t felt in quite a while.

“A perk of the curse, I’m afraid.” Tsukasa sighed. He looked over at the bed he’d been lying in just a few moments ago. “I was awake more often than not but unable to move my body or interact with the world around me. All I could do was listen.”

“That sounds… horrible…” Ryusui muttered mostly to himself. The petrification cast upon the world was more of a really long slumber. He’d woken up confused but refreshed. This was totally different. Ryusui couldn’t imagine how frustrating it must’ve been to know the things going on around oneself but be unable to interact with them.

“It was,” Tsukasa paused to look back at him, “until you came along.”

Ryusui wasn’t what one might call an easily flustered person. Normally, he was the flirtatious one that was causing someone else to blush. And yet he felt heat rush to his cheeks at those words. He just knew that his face was some ridiculous shade of pink. As much as he wanted to respond, he couldn’t seem to recall how to make words. Tsukasa didn’t seem to notice; he was lost in his own thoughts.

“You were like a shining light in my otherwise dismal situation and I thank you. Listening to your happy rambling about whatever popped into your head became the highlight of my day.” Tsukasa explained. He smiled fondly to himself then added, “And you were always so kind to Mirai.”

“She’s a sweet girl who deserves nothing but kindness!” Ryusui exclaimed louder than he meant to. He chuckled nervously then asked, “And I sure do like to hear myself talk, don’t I? A real chatterbox.”

Tsukasa hummed and offered him a nod. His gaze fell to the ground and there was a moment of silence between them before he finally spoke again. “About when you woke me–”

“You’re absolutely right!” Ryusui yelled, cutting him off mid-sentence. “We should get you reunited with your sister! She will be so happy to see you! Let’s go!” He grabbed Tsukasa’s wrist and felt that tingle from earlier travel up his arm again. He immediately let go, chuckled nervously, then motioned for the taller man to follow as he lead the way out of the cave.

As far as touching reunions went, Ryusui had to admit that the one between an extremely surprised Mirai and her big brother was really beautiful. He even ended up a bit misty-eyed during it. It was impossible not to with such an emotional scene. Ryusui was proud to have had a hand in making it happen.

Of course not everyone was as welcoming as Mirai had been. In fact, lots of the villagers wore shocked or even terrified looks as the three of them walked past. Ryusui thought that was a bit unnecessary. Though a glance at Tsukasa and he saw that he didn’t seem to care. He was content enough to hold Mirai’s hand and listen to whatever story she’d started to tell. That was sweet.

They met up with the other generals to explain the situation as best they could, not that Ryusui really knew what happened. Never had he been asked so many questions about a topic he was rather clueless about. Senku was relentless in his search for the truth. Ryusui really wished that he could help but frankly he’d never been so clueless about a topic before.

He offered his best apology to the frustrated Senku accompanied by a crooked smile. Afterwards Ukyo reminded everyone that this was a cause for celebration, not a reason for everyone to get themselves worked up. Then Gen suggested they have a party to celebrate the good news. Ryusui had to wonder if he was joking but as soon as Chrome chimed in and agreed loudly he knew there was no going back.

So there he was, the guest of honor at a celebration for the return of one of their own. At least that’s what the other generals seemed to think it was. There was a cautious air about the villagers that attended. Ryusui supposed that couldn’t be helped considering the way rumors spread and all that nonsense. He was sure they’d warm up to Tsukasa once they saw that he wasn’t a bad guy. That was a fact he was so sure of even though they’d only met a few hours ago. Ryusui didn’t even question it. His intuition never steered him wrong about these things.

Even so, Ryusui wasn’t really in the mood to be celebrated. It’d be different if he wasn’t so confused about what happened. Oh well, it couldn’t be helped. He took a sip of his drink and watched the way that Tsukasa smiled as Mirai and Suika explained something to him which required them to both wave their arms exaggeratedly. The guy was such an enigma. Ryusui didn’t understand him at all.

He noticed movement out of the corner of his eye and tore his gaze from the scene across the way. Ryusui turned to see that Senku had walked over to him. His intuition told him that this wasn’t just a casual chat to say hello. The guy wanted something. He hadn’t gotten any answers earlier and that’d probably been bugging him.

“So,” Senku said as if in response to Ryusui’s thought. He brought his cup to his lips, paused, then watched Tsukasa pat both girls on the head. Senku continued to watch as he asked, “Not that I’m complaining but can you explain in detail how exactly you woke Tsukasa?”

Ryusui choked on the sip of drink he’d mistakenly taken. He coughed then cleared his throat. His cheeks started to burn and he muttered, “W-well… I didn’t do anything, really. I was talking to myself and he just sort of opened his eyes. Scared me right off my feet actually. I’ve got the bruise to prove it.”

“That’s the thing,” Senku explained. He swirled his drink as he said, “The number of different formulas I tried was astronomical. I made concoctions with every kind of ingredient I could procure yet not a single one of them had any effect on such a strong curse.”

“I bet they just needed a little while to work, yeah! I’m sure you’re the one who broke the curse. I just happened to be standing there at the time.” Ryusui nodded. He sipped his drink then mumbled, “I didn’t do anything special.”

“Is that right?” Senku asked flatly, clearly suspicious that there was something he wasn’t being told.

“Why do you even want to talk about this? Let’s celebrate!” Ryusui exclaimed. He held up his drink and yelled, “Cheers!”

Ryusui barely had a chance to take a sip before someone crashed into him and he grunted. He looked down to see Mirai hugging his waist. She had a huge smile upon her face and tears in her eyes.

“Thanks for saving my big brother!” Mirai chirped.

Ryusui laughed then pat her head. If nothing else, seeing her this happy sure was rewarding. He looked up when someone else approached. Ah. The man himself. Probably come to pry his sister off of Ryusui. Not that he minded the affection.

Tsukasa put his hand on Mirai’s shoulder and said, “Let the captain breathe. Suika’s looking for you.”

Mirai gasped and let go of Ryusui. She waved goodbye before she ran off with a laugh.

Tsukasa looked past the blond and said, “Senku.”

Senku motioned towards him and replied, “I’ve got some tests I want to run on you.”

“Experiments, you mean,” Tsukasa sighed.

Senku shrugged and shook his head. “Call it whatever you want. I’m just looking for answers.”

“Sounds awful.” Tsukasa rolled his eyes then looked back at Ryusui. It seemed like there was something he wanted to say. Instead of whatever that might be he asked, “Can we talk in private?”

Ryusui stiffened at the suggestion. Unexpected as it was, he couldn’t help but nod when he saw the sincerity in Tsukasa’s eyes. He didn’t know what it was about them but he found himself weak whenever they were trained upon him. He followed the taller man to a secluded location not too far from the festivities. They could still hear the celebrating but wouldn’t have to raise their voices to have a normal conversation.

“So… what’s up?” Ryusui asked as soon as they stopped walking.

“We haven’t really had a chance to talk since earlier,” Tsukasa explained. He paused to make sure he had the blond’s full attention. “About the condition for breaking my curse–”

Ryusui laughed loudly then turned his back to Tsukasa and shouted, “Great! I’m glad that you’re feeling so spirited after such an ordeal!”

“Ryusui, please hear me out,” Tsukasa said softly.

His heart squeezed at those words. Ryusui couldn’t help but want to listen. He didn’t know what it was about the way Tsukasa said his name but man he loved the sound of it upon his lips. He sighed to himself then turned back around so he could listen properly to what the guy had to say.

“I knew when I decided to take on the burden of the curse that there was only one cure for it and that it would most likely be an impossibility in the Old World, never mind this stone one.” Tsukasa explained. His tone was serious and he looked lost in a memory.

“Yeah? What might that be?” Ryusui didn’t know what he had that was so rare but he was interested in finding out. As cool as his hat was, that wasn’t rare at all. The sword at his side was also just for show. He really didn’t have the slightest idea what the guy was talking about.

“True love’s kiss.”

Blush exploded in his cheeks and Ryusui immediately went into defensive mode. He knew his face was bright red as he sputtered, “I-if you’re trying to suggest that I took advantage of you somehow–!”

Tsukasa held up his hand and shook his head. “Nothing of the sort.”

_His heart is calling out to you… can’t you hear it?_ Ryusui recalled what the voice in his head had said. How it egged him on until he gave in. When he thought about it like that it made sense that it was all because of a curse. Magic was a fickle thing at best. If the spell that was cast upon Tsukasa reacted with Ryusui somehow then perhaps that explained the intensity of it all. It hadn’t been his heart calling out, but the spell itself.

Ryusui realized that Tsukasa was still silent and waiting on a response. Anything would probably do. The tips of his ears burned with blush now too as he turned his head away from the taller man and mumbled, “I don’t even believe in that kind of stuff.”

“Curses?” Tsukasa asked. “I assure you they’re very real and can be quite powerful, just like the one that turned the world to stone 3700 years ago.”

“I’m talking about true love!” Ryusui shrieked. His eyes widened at his own little outburst. He certainly hadn’t meant to lose control like that, oops.

“Maybe not but you do know that you were inexplicably drawn to me, just like I was to you since the first time I heard your voice. And when we touch…” Tsukasa paused and took the blond’s hand.

Ryusui immediately felt that strange tingle start at his fingertips. It traveled all the way up his arm and to his chest. Suddenly he felt warmth blossom within himself like nothing he’d ever experienced before. New and a bit confusing as it was, Ryusui didn’t exactly hate the feeling. He let out a shaky sigh then shook his head and said, “I can’t just accept this because you say so. For all I know it’s some lingering after effect of the curse. It’s suspicious. Frankly, I want nothing to do with it.”

Tsukasa released him and replied, “All right.”

“Wait, what? Just like that you’re backing off?” Ryusui asked as he blinked in surprise. That certainly was new. Normally he’d end up in an argument with the party he was attempting to reject. He’d been ready for that. This was different. Now he actually felt a bit bad about how he’d handled it.

“It’s what you want, so yes.” Tsukasa nodded once then turned to leave. He paused only to say, “I didn’t mean to upset you, I apologize.”

Ryusui didn’t move a muscle. He simply stood there with the hand that had just been released to his chest. He stayed there until Tsukasa was gone, taking note of the fact that he’d gone in the opposite direction of the party. Ryusui couldn’t help but wonder if he’d done something wrong. No, he’d had every right to react the way he did. Then why did he feel a bit queasy all of a sudden? This really had been one of the most confusing days of his life.

By his calculation it had been just over two weeks since Ryusui accidentally freed Tsukasa of his curse. As well as that long since the guy tried to convince him that the kiss was the catalyst. Much to Ryusui’s surprise, Tsukasa hadn’t brought up the subject again. He was still waiting for it, though. Someone with such an imposing reputation was surely used to getting his way and would try again. That was the working theory, anyway.

In actuality. Ryusui didn’t understand where any of the previous rumors he’d heard about the guy came from. Everyone kept telling him just how scary Tsukasa was and that it’d be best to steer clear. He ruled over his own kingdom for a while. Evidently with an iron fist. Time and time again Ryusui was warned to keep his distance.

Yet he’d been observing Tsukasa since that party. Of course he had, he needed to be prepared if he was ever approached again. Though these past few weeks weren’t much to go on, he still found himself with a wildly different impression of the man. It was to the point where Ryusui had to wonder if any of the villagers ever interacted with him before he fell under that curse. Just how much of what everyone believed to be true was hearsay?

What Ryusui saw when he observed Tsukasa amounted to more of a really large lost puppy in need of a hug than some evil overlord. The guy was awkward in a group of people, though others mistook his silence for charisma. They assumed his input was always well thought out and sincere when Ryusui swore he struggled with finding the words to say a lot of the time. The man certainly was easy on the eyes and that helped draw people to him as well. All the while Ryusui swore he could see how uncomfortable he was at times. It was fascinating.

There was a contemplative look upon Tsukasa’s face more often than not. Ryusui wanted to know what it was that occupied his mind. He wanted to understand this man in a way that others didn’t care to. Of course he had no idea why he desired these things. Ryusui just assumed it had something to do with his own personal greed. He yearned for all sorts of knowledge to be his.

Oh, well. None of that was important right now. Ryusui was headed back home after a meeting with his fellow generals. Once again there was a lot of excitement about Senku’s new idea and not nearly as much got done as anyone would’ve liked. That’s just how it went sometimes. They could be productive tomorrow, he supposed.

He turned towards the horizon and smiled. The sun had already started to set, and the colors of the sky were reflected in the ocean. It was beautiful. He sort of wished that he was out on his boat so he could get the best possible view. There was nothing quite like a sunset when one was surrounded by ocean as far as the eyes could see. It was probably the most romantic thing in the world. Not that he’d ever shared that with anyone he was romantically interested in. Whatever. The point was that it was really pretty and Ryusui would be content to stare until the sun was fully set.

A strange sound caught his attention and Ryusui quickly returned to reality. He looked around for the source of it only to find Tsukasa of all people not too far away from him. He watched in silence as the guy punched a wooden dummy in half. Oh. All right. Evidently he was out here training. He watched Tsukasa pick up the top half of the former dummy and inspect it. Ryusui realized that it must’ve been wood breaking that he’d heard a moment ago. Tsukasa moved on to spar with a second dummy that was set up. Ryusui found himself amazed by the sheer strength behind each of Tsukasa’s attacks.

As far as he could tell, Tsukasa didn’t use any magical enhancements or spells to give him an advantage. He relied on his own brute strength to get the job done. Ryusui was in awe of the sight. Such powerful attacks with extreme precision like that... and no need for magic to boost or assist? This guy didn’t seem real. Ryusui had to admit that he was impressed.

He must’ve made a sound because Tsukasa stopped what he was doing and looked right at him. Ryusui stiffened when those incredible eyes were fixed upon him. He smiled a crooked smile and offered Tsukasa a quick wave. He hadn’t been caught staring because he totally wasn’t just doing that. Ryusui trotted over to Tsukasa and chirped, “You really are as strong as everyone says, huh? I bet magical enhancements would make you unstoppable.”

“I do my best to train so I don’t need to rely on such things,” Tsukasa explained. He picked up one of the wooden dummy pieces that had broken off and shook his head. “Magic can be stripped away just as easily as it can be obtained.”

“Guess it’s firewood now?” Ryusui asked. He watched Tsukasa nod then toss it into what was apparently a pile of broken dummy bits that were to be repurposed. Sometimes his mouth worked faster than his brain. There was no helping it. Ryusui’s eyes were glued to the broken pieces as he said, “Teach me how to do that.”

Tsukasa glanced at him out of the corner of his eye. He looked away again and continued to pick up the scattered bits of wood as he replied, “Weapon training is actually Hyoga’s job. I’m sure if you bother him enough he’ll agree to teach you too.”

At first Ryusui was a bit shocked by his own request. That wore off quickly when he realized that Tsukasa blew him off. Now it was a matter of principle. If he’d wanted Hyoga to teach him he would’ve asked _him_. Ryusui put his hands on his hips and had a defiant look in his eyes as he asked, “What about unarmed stuff? You’re better at that than he is, right?”

“Well…” Tsukasa let the thought trail off. Whether it was out of modesty or something else was unclear.

“Come on,” Ryusui tried once again. “It’d be better to have an actual person to spar with rather than a breakable dummy, am I right?”

“People can be just as breakable,” Tsukasa replied softly.

“Good thing I’m stronger than I look, which is saying something since I know I look tough!” Ryusui laughed. He grinned at Tsukasa as he added, “I promise I’m a fast learner.”

“I suppose I owe you that much at the very least,” Tsukasa said mostly to himself. He thought about it for a moment before he finally asked, “Should we start now?”

“Absolutely not!” Ryusui yelled. He snapped his fingers then said, “I need to pick out an outfit first. Maybe tomorrow afternoon. I’ll let you know.”

“Outfit…?” Tsukasa blinked curiously at him.

Ryusui nodded then put his hands on his hips. “Yes, a vital part of this new experience for sure.”

“I don’t think that’s–” Tsukasa didn’t get a chance to finish the thought since the blond had already started to march away.

*

It hadn’t been a lie when Ryusui boasted about being a fast learner. He tended to pick up on new things quickly, even more so when he was motivated. That was certainly the case when it came to him learning from Tsukasa. Frankly, he didn’t think it’d be so fun. Tsukasa gave off stick-in-the-mud vibes a lot of the time but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Sure, the guy was all serious at first but after a few lessons he really started to lighten up. Maybe it was because he was more comfortable around Ryusui. Maybe it was his own winning cheery personality being contagious, he didn’t really know. What he did know was that once Tsukasa got over that initial stoic manner of his he was almost another person completely.

“You’re wide open,” Tsukasa declared as he swung his left fist through the air.

“Am I?” Ryusui dodged the attack then ducked to avoid the one that came next. He spun around fast and was suddenly behind the other man. He wrapped his arm around Tsukasa’s neck from behind and snickered, “Or was it all a ploy to make you think you had the advantage?”

“Impressive, but…” Tsukasa broke the hold effortlessly. He turned the situation around so it was in his favor without so much as batting an eye. He held Ryusui in a headlock and waited until he heard a squeak. Then he released the blond and ruffled his hair before he said, “You’ve still got a lot to learn.”

“Give me some credit, that was a great move!” Ryusui cried.

“If you think predictable is great, yes,” Tsukasa hummed.

“You’re just being mean now!” Ryusui exclaimed. He pouted and said, “Admit it, you were totally caught off guard for a second there!”

Tsukasa chuckled to himself and shook his head. Ryusui couldn’t help but stare. The guy teased him a lot nowadays. Not that Ryusui minded it since he always did so with that little smile upon his face. That was a sight Ryusui liked to see. In just the short two months they’d been sparring together he’d changed so much it was crazy. In fact, the only other person Ryusui ever saw Tsukasa openly joke with was Senku, and even that was rare.

“All right,” Tsukasa took a defensive stance and beckoned him closer, “if you can land a single hit on me, I’ll admit whatever you want.”

Ryusui couldn’t possibly pass up an opportunity like that. He charged right back into the fight and was easily dodged. He expected as much. The goal was to catch Tsukasa off guard or he might never get the chance to land a hit. So he had to make it look like things were going exactly as he expected them to. Right hook. Left. Attempt to kick. Yep, each move blocked effortlessly as Ryusui predicted.

He didn’t have time to let himself be swept up in admiring the fluidity of Tsukasa’s movements, no matter how much they almost seemed like a dance. Distraction was the enemy right now. One false move and he’d be done for. He just needed to bide his time and keep Tsukasa on the defensive until he found the perfect opportunity to strike. He trusted his own instincts to know when exactly that’d be. It seemed like the guy could sense what he was thinking. He changed from defending to attacking without warning.

Ryusui just barely dodged another punch. That one was much closer than he would’ve liked. He needed to focus or he’d be in for a world of pain. Ryusui jumped backwards as Tsukasa pressed his attack forward. Ah, that was it. The moment when he could strike was brief but he understood now. He continued to dodge until he had the chance to jump backwards again. As soon as Tsukasa motioned to close the distance between them again, Ryusui made his move.

He certainly didn’t expect to be caught in the middle of his attack and then his legs to be kicked out from under him. Ryusui squeezed his eyes shut and grunted as his back hit the ground hard. Ouch. Then he felt pressure against his throat. He opened his eyes and blinked a few times at the sight before himself. Tsukasa’s face was close. Very close. Oh.

It took Ryusui an extra moment to realize that he was pinned down. Tsukasa had him in a hold that made it impossible to escape, including an arm against his throat. So his plan of attack failed. Now he was left to stare up at Tsukasa’s unnecessarily stunning features up close like this. He couldn’t be sure if he was upset about that or not.

Tsukasa leaned into his personal space and said, “Looks like I win. Your moves were predictable, as usual.”

The corners of Tsukasa’s mouth turned upwards in a little smile. It was all Ryusui could do to stare. Somehow the guy managed to be even more attractive than usual when he smiled. Ryusui hadn’t ever seen it this closely before. He felt the slightest little flutter in his chest and then his cheeks started to burn.

“Speechless? That’s a first.” Tsukasa teased. He released his hold on the blond and stood up.

Ryusui didn’t move a muscle. Instead he laid there and stared up at the clouds in the sky. All the while he continued to will his pulse to stop racing. Adrenaline sure was strange. It made all sorts of weird things happen with the human body.

He blinked a few times when something blocked his view of the sky. It took Ryusui a second to realize that it was a hand. Tsukasa’s, to be exact. He didn’t even think about it and accepted the assistance.

Almost immediately that tingling sensation began in his fingertips and traveled up his arm. He’d nearly forgotten about that since it had been so long. He supposed they didn’t touch that much even though they sparred all the time. It made sense, he guessed. The point was to _not_ get hit, after all.

Once he was on his feet again he pulled his hand away. Ryusui stretched both arms then cracked his neck side to side. He held his chin in the air and declared, “I'll win one day. You’ll see.”

Tsukasa continued to smile as he nodded and replied, “I look forward to it.”

The flutter in Ryusui’s chest returned. He might not personally believe in true love, but something about Tsukasa’s smile made him wish he did. He could definitely see just how easy it’d be to fall for this man. Not that he’d do something so ridiculous. That was the definition of a bad idea. Ryusui continued to tell himself exactly that as both he and Tsukasa looked over at the horizon and watched the breathtakingly romantic colors of the sunset spread across the sky.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This concept was like… a six sentence thought I was gonna share on discord and then riiiight before I hit send I realized that hey… I kinda wanna write this cause I can totally expand on it hmm… and here we are a month later lol
> 
> Im highly amused that the summary makes it sound like a sleeping beauty fic... i mean i guess thats not too far off. tsukasa is def a beauty and as in fact asleep for a long time X'D
> 
> I missed writing for these two a lot but my poor tank has been on empty as of late :'3
> 
> The idea that Ryusui has been through more than his fair share of messy break ups in the old world and it left him a bit hm hesitant about them now is something ive wanted to work with for a while… if only there was someone tall dark and handsome out there whod treat him the way he deserves to be treated o.o
> 
> A few of the other chars I like to write cameo next chap yay :3


	2. Chapter 2

Before Ryusui knew it, the season changed, and the weather really started to warm up. Admittedly, it was pretty nice. Talk about a perfect excuse to spend a lot of time in the water. That was the kind of life Ryusui could get used to. Sometimes he held swimming contests for anyone interested in trying out their luck. The villagers were all surprisingly good swimmers so that was lots of fun. No one ever knew who’d win. That kept things interesting. It was a good time all around.

Perhaps the best part about it being summer now was the types of fruit that were perfectly ripe. There was absolutely nothing like picking one right off a tree or bush and taking that first juicy bite. It was heavenly. At the moment, Ryusui was busy slicing some fruit to share with others. He nodded along to the clearly embellished story that Yo was telling while Gen snickered softly. The three of them sat on logs that had been placed around a spot ready to make a fire. They didn’t need that right now as it was hot enough, so it was just somewhere to sit and chat.

“And then I was dumped!” Yo laughed.

“You have to admit that she was in the right. You deserved it,” Gen mused with a smirk.

“Yeah, I did,” Yo agreed with a grin. He rubbed the back of his head and added, “Even tried that one enchantment to make myself a better cook and make amends but it didn’t take. Life sure was different back then, huh?”

“It certainly was,” Gen nodded. “Though there are some perks of being around now. At least we met new and interesting people.”

Ryusui hummed in agreement and looked up from what he was doing. Over in the distance by the shore Tsukasa was talking to Senku while a bunch of the village children splashed around in the shallow part of the ocean. The kids were all smiles as they cast basic level spells that allowed them to create fun shapes with the water they were standing in. Ryusui kind of wished he was with them because it looked like a lot of fun.

He watched as Hyoga and Chrome walked over to Senku and Tsukasa, evidently with news of their own since Chrome started to motion wildly with his hands. Not too long afterwards Senku and Chrome parted ways with the other two. Probably to deal with some science stuff. Ryusui didn’t know. If they needed his opinion on something they’d ask. He looked back down and continued to slice the fruit he held.

“I really don’t know what my preferred taste in partners is,” Yo continued his story from earlier. He grinned like an idiot as he said, “But as long as they can appreciate how great I am I suppose most anyone is fair game.”

Gen crossed his arms then sighed, “So basically you don’t have any standards at all.”

“Who needs ‘em?” Yo asked. He stuffed some fruit into his mouth then mumbled, “One time an ex broke things off because they ‘realized I wasn’t their true love’. What kind of nonsense is that, right? Do either of you believe in that kind of thing?”

Ryusui kept his gaze upon the fruit in his hand and shook his head as he replied, “No, I believe in the greediness of mankind.”

“What kind of jaded response was that?” Gen tsked. He raised a curious eyebrow in the blond’s direction.

“The kind based on real world experience,” Ryusui replied without missing a beat. The details weren’t anyone’s business, but he’d dealt with his fair share of heartbreak in the past. No matter how much he liked someone, in the end it was never _true_ and it always fell apart. Ryusui had long since stopped hoping for a connection like that.

“That’s certainly a shame because I assure you that it’s very real,” Gen hummed. “Maybe not as picture-perfect as everyone makes it out to be, but it definitely exists.”

“Something you wanna tell us there, Gen? Got a little gossip to share with the class?” Yo teased. He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively and smiled like an idiot.

Gen put his hand over his heart and shut his eyes. A smirk spread across his face then he replied, “I would never iss-kay and ell-tay.”

“I would.” Yo declared. “As soon as I find someone to kiss I will absolutely tell everyone I talk to.”

Gen rolled his eyes then clarified, “Let me rephrase that then. A _gentleman_ doesn’t kiss and tell.”

“But a liar does,” Hyoga chimed in.

Yo jumped then turned around to see two very intimidating figures standing right behind him. Both Tsukasa and Hyoga looked as stoic as ever. He squeaked in surprise and then fell off of the log he was sitting on.

“Have some dignity,” Hyoga snorted.

“I can’t help it! You two are terrifying!” Yo yelped.

Tsukasa offered Yo his hand then pulled him to his feet. Yo muttered a soft thanks, dusted himself off, and sat back down on the log again. He frowned at the fruit he’d knocked into the dirt. What a waste.

Ryusui looked from Yo to Tsukasa when there was no response to his words. He had no idea why but he just had the feeling that he should say something. Maybe it was the look upon Tsukasa’s face. Or perhaps it was the odd tension he felt in the air. He didn’t know. Still, he offered up a smile and said, “Nah, they’re not so scary underneath that tough outer shell.”

Yo scrunched his face as he thought about it. He shook his head and muttered, “I dunno, I’ve known them longer than you and I think they’re really scary.”

“Strong silent types can come across as such but there’s usually more to them if you actually take the time to get to know them,” Ryusui explained. It was really as simple as that. Labeling a person based on their looks wouldn’t get one far in life.

Gen cleared his throat then hummed, “They’re anding-stay right there…”

Ryusui’s eyes widened. He smiled a crooked smile and turned towards the pair. “Ah. Sorry. Didn’t mean to talk about you two like you weren’t even here. Care to join us for some freshly picked fruit?”

Tsukasa nodded then sat on the same log as Yo while Hyoga sat on the one next to Gen. Ryusui smiled at the pair and got back to slicing the fruit. It was nice that he didn’t have to go out of his way to try and convince them.

“We were just talking about past relationships,” Yo explained even though no one asked.

“Not we. Just you.” Gen chimed in.

“Yeah it seems like Yo is in overshare mode today,” Ryusui chuckled. “We don’t even know what prompted it.” He set all the fruit he had onto plates and handed them out. When he offered the last one to Tsukasa he couldn’t help but meet his gaze. The tips of his fingers just barely brushed against the back of Ryusui’s hand as he took the offered food. Of course Ryusui’s heart did that ridiculous fluttering thing again without his permission.

“You two seem close.” Gen said loudly. The grin on his face was practically audible.

Ryusui jumped and pulled his hand back to himself. Luckily, Tsukasa already had a decent grip on the plate or there would’ve been fruit everywhere with the sudden motion. He chuckled nervously then shook his head and yelled, “We really aren’t!”

“No need to shout, man. We’re all sitting right here.” Yo mumbled with a mouthful of fruit. He made a chopping motion with his right hand then asked, “He’s been teaching you hand to hand combat techniques for a while now, right?” He motioned to pick up another piece then grunted when Hyoga slapped his hand away and helped himself instead. Yo rolled his eyes but looked back at Ryusui and added, “We should spar sometime so I can show you _my_ amazing skills.”

“Sounds like a plan!” Ryusui laughed. The conversation around him continued and he didn’t look up from his fruit as he ate his portion.

“You know he’s bound to cheat via magical enhancements, right?” Hyoga asked flatly.

“I am offended by the implication!” Yo exclaimed. He waved a fist in the air and started to rant about how there was no honor in a fight like that, etc.

“Methinks he doth protest too much,” Gen snickered.

“He’s embarrassed that his plan was outed before he could use it,” Tsukasa agreed.

“This is bullying! I didn’t even do anything yet!” Yo shrieked. He pouted when everyone chuckled in response.

Everyone chatted for a bit even after they finished up their snack. Hyoga was the first to stand and explain that he had to go since it was about time for him to get back to training the others. Gen decided he wanted to sit in on this one and see everyone’s progress, so he followed. Of course once Yo heard that was an option he wanted to do the same thing and scurried after the pair. Ryusui just barely heard Hyoga tell Yo that he would be useful because they needed a new dummy to practice on. He didn’t hear the protests afterwards, but he could imagine how they’d gone.

He shook his head and smiled to himself. There certainly were a bunch of interesting characters in the village to say the least. He was glad to have met the lot of them. It was only after he heard rustling nearby that he remembered he wasn’t alone. Ryusui turned towards Tsukasa and watched him stand then stretch. There was absolutely no reason that his muscles had to be that appealing as they moved beneath his skin. It was clearly a personal attack aimed at him specifically.

“Are you coming?” Tsukasa asked.

Ryusui jolted in surprise. “Am I _huh_?”

Tsukasa’s brow knitted together and he asked, “We’re supposed to spar, aren’t we?”

“Ohh! Right!” Ryusui scrambled to his feet then dusted himself off. He flexed and pat his bicep as he said, “These guns are always ready for action.”

“Sounds like something Yo would say,” Tsukasa snorted.

Ryusui hummed in agreement. He wasn’t wrong. They headed towards the training area in silence. That was normal for Tsukasa but usually Ryusui could find something to say to fill in the lull in conversation. Right now his mind was elsewhere. He was brought back to reality when Tsukasa stopped abruptly and bent down.

He watched as the guy picked up a seashell and dusted it off then smiled. They continued walking without a word. Ryusui looked at his companion out of the corner of his eye. He really was a big teddy bear a lot of the time. Sure, Tsukasa could kill a man with his bare hands, but he could also make the most delicate seashell necklaces for his little sister with those same hands. Ryusui quite liked seeing both sides of him. Each layer he discovered was more fascinating than the last. That made him want to know all he possibly could about the man.

Ryusui used all the force he could muster to shove Tsukasa backwards. The dark-haired man grunted when his back collided with a tree. Ryusui maintained the grip he had on him and panted softly. Good. The risk he’d taken had worked out. He could see the surprise on Tsukasa’s face. Excellent. When that melted into a smirk Ryusui knew he’d messed up somehow.

“Impressive but–” Tsukasa broke the hold on himself and turned the tables without so much as batting an eye. He pressed Ryusui up against the same tree and twisted his arm behind his back to lock him in place. Tsukasa leaned in close enough that the blond’s hair moved with his breath and hummed, “You’ve still got a lot to learn.”

“Is this you going easy on a novice?” Ryusui grumbled against the bark in his face. He made a disgusted sound when he accidentally licked the tree.

“You’re way past the point of me needing to do something like that,” Tsukasa replied. He put just the slightest bit of extra pressure on the blond’s arm.

“Ok, ok, I give.” Ryusui muttered. He let out a sigh then spun around when Tsukasa released him. He plopped down onto the ground and leaned back against the tree then muttered, “You really are unbeatable.”

“That’s not true,” Tsukasa disagreed. “I have yet to win against Mirai if that helps any.”

Ryusui tilted his head to look up at him and then saw the teasing smile upon Tsukasa’s face. His pulse quickened at the sight. This guy really would be the death of him. Ryusui was half a second from thinking up a really witty comeback when Tsukasa handed him something. A canteen. Good. He needed to hydrate. Ryusui took it, thanked him, then cast a quick spell to cool it before he drank. He was parched.

Tsukasa sat down next to him and sipped from a different canteen. They were silent as they both took a moment to catch their breaths. It sure was hot today and after a workout like that they were dripping sweat. He leaned his head back against the tree and mumbled, “So… past relationships, huh?”

“Oh, uh, yeah!” Ryusui chuckled nervously then shrugged. “I’m sure you know all about that and have plenty of stories of your own.”

“Actually, that was my first,” Tsukasa replied.

“Hm?” Ryusui took another sip.

Tsukasa brought the canteen back to his mouth, paused, then said, “Kiss. When you woke me.”

Ryusui turned his head and spit out the water in his mouth. He looked back at Tsukasa and shrieked, “You can’t be serious!”

Tsukasa wiped the sweat off his brow then asked, “Does it count if I don’t remember anything but waking up afterwards?”

“I’d, uh, say no…” Ryusui said softly.

“I see.” Tsukasa put the cap back onto the canteen. “I guess I can still get married then since I’m pure.”

Ryusui let out the most undignified squeak then began to mutter nonsense. Even he didn’t have any clue what it was he was trying to say. His cheeks burned and he could hardly believe what he was hearing. He stopped making strange sounds and shook his head in an attempt to clear it. He stiffened when he heard a chuckle.

Tsukasa couldn’t keep from laughing at his reaction. He snickered to himself as the blond just stared at him in awe. When he finally had a chance to catch his breath he said, “I’m just kidding, don’t worry.”

“Oh, thank god,” Ryusui sighed. “I really believed that was your first kiss for a second.”

“Oh, I was serious about that part,” Tsukasa explained. “Kidding about the marriage thing.”

The color drained from Ryusui’s face and he wasn’t sure how to respond to something like that. A silent heartbeat passed, then two. He gave in and just mumbled, “I’m… sorry?”

“What for?” Tsukasa looked at him out of the corner of his eye. “Saving my life?”

“Well, no, but…” Truth be told, Ryusui had no idea what he wanted to say. He’d never considered that someone as well-known as Tsukasa wouldn’t have kissed anyone before. With fame came fans. And fans meant there was always someone willing to do a little smooching. It only made him wonder why. Surely the opportunity had arisen in the past.

“Either way there’s no need to apologize,” Tsukasa continued, “I’m glad it was you.” He stood then told Ryusui that he did well today. Afterwards he said a quick goodbye and took his leave.

Ryusui held his breath until Tsukasa was out of sight. His whole face and even the tips of his ears burned as he thought about how he was glad it had been him to wake Tsukasa as well. He’d do it again in a heartbeat. Ryusui pulled his knees to his chest and buried his face in them then let out a muffled cry. It didn’t matter how much he willed his pulse to stop racing, that just wasn’t going to happen. He knew why and he’d tried his hardest to ignore it for as long as possible.

He liked Tsukasa so much it was stupid. All the time they’d spent together let him really get to know the man in a way he hadn’t expected. The more Tsukasa relaxed and opened up around him the more Ryusui was drawn to him. That just continued to spiral out of control until he had himself a full-fledged crush. Now Ryusui found it difficult to think about anything else when the two of them were together.

Normally, he’d declare his feelings in some ostentatious way and ask the object of his affection out. There was no way he could do that in this case. He couldn’t just up and change his mind after he was so adamant about his opinion back when they’d met. That wouldn’t be fair to Tsukasa at all. Not to mention the two of them had found a really nice friendship groove. They were comfortable around one another these days. Doing anything to mess that up would be a mistake.

That meant Ryusui had no choice but to get over his unwanted feelings. Sure, he desired Tsukasa, but so what? He desired everyone. Always had, always would. Even hearing the thought in his mind wasn’t convincing in the slightest. Ryusui could lie to everyone else in the universe but not himself. He was quite aware that he desired Tsukasa on a different level than he did everyone else. There was no point in denying it. The longing he felt in his chest only ever happened when he thought about Tsukasa and that said all he needed to know. Ryusui groaned against his knees. What a mess.

*

It was a lovely afternoon, if Ryusui did say so himself. Neither too hot nor too cold, it had everyone in good spirits. Birds were chirping and everyone that passed him smiled as they waved hello. Ryusui greeted them all in turn as he headed over to the training area. It was time for his spar with Tsukasa then they’d get some lunch together, as had become the norm. He looked forward to telling Tsukasa all about the stuff he’d done since they’d seen one another yesterday.

Ryusui arrived at his destination and realized that he was the first one there. That was fine, he didn’t mind waiting a bit. He could use the time to try and think of a strategy he hadn’t tried yet to get the upper hand and finally win against Tsukasa. Hmm. He hadn’t tried the ‘look over there’ distraction technique yet. There was an extremely slim chance that it could work. Perhaps it was worth a shot.

He looked over towards the shore with the intention to watch the ocean sparkle. That always gave him a sense of tranquility and helped him clear his head. This time, however, he didn’t get the chance. His gaze fell upon Tsukasa and he smiled to himself. The way his heart skipped a beat at the sight of the guy had nothing to do with anything. Ryusui ignored it. He noticed that Senku was walking with him this time.

The pair talked among themselves until they were about halfway to the training area. Then Senku pat Tsukasa on the back and headed off in a different direction. When he looked over at him Ryusui smiled and waved. Senku mirrored the motion then continued on his way. Ryusui continued to grin until Tsukasa finally reached him.

“Good afternoon,” Tsukasa hummed with a nod.

“Right back at ya!” Ryusui laughed.

“Sorry I’m late,” Tsukasa said in his usual soft tone. “Senku needed my assistance with something.”

“You two sure do spend a lot of time together.” Ryusui muttered before he had a chance to think about it. It was simply an observation and didn’t warrant a response. Too bad that wasn’t how conversations worked.

“That makes sense since he’s basically the only friend I have,” Tsukasa said mostly to himself. He stretched his arms up over his head and leaned to one side for a few seconds before switching.

“What am I?” Ryusui asked without a second thought.

“Hm?” Tsukasa let his hands fall back down to his sides and eyed the blond.

Ryusui smiled a crooked smile then rubbed the back of his head and clarified, “To you, I guess?”

Tsukasa opened his mouth then promptly shut it again. He averted his gaze and muttered, “Not a friend.”

“Oh. All right. Good to know… I think.” Ryusui couldn’t believe just how much that stung. In fact, he wasn’t sure that words had ever cut him so deeply before, and he’d been on the receiving end of some doozies in the past. He frowned to himself and looked down at the ground. It certainly didn’t help that he liked Tsukasa so darn much.

In the end, this was probably karma for how bluntly he’d turned him down all those months ago. Ryusui shut his eyes and forced a smile then said, “Actually, you know what? I’m not feeling well and unable to spar today so rain check. I’m going to go home and lie down.”

“Do you want me to walk you there?” Tsukasa offered, his tone laced with concern.

“Nope.” Ryusui shook his head. He turned around and started to walk away then added, “Thanks, though. See you next time.”

Tsukasa’s gaze was fixed upon the ground as he replied, “All right. Feel better.”

“I’ll do that, yeah!” Ryusui exclaimed way too enthusiastically. It had to be done or else his true feelings might show. He couldn’t have that. Tsukasa hadn’t intended to hurt him and he understood that. What he didn’t understand was what they were in his eyes if not friends. Familiar longing pulsed in his chest as it always did when they parted ways these days. Of course that just made him feel even worse. Damn.

It was a bit of a godsend that Ryusui was extra busy with his general duties over the next few days. That meant his brain was preoccupied with things and he didn’t have a chance to dwell on anything. Not only that but he didn’t have the usual free time. In fact he only even ate lunch because Francois stopped by to remind him. He thanked them kindly, of course.

As for the last time he’d seen Tsukasa, well, he couldn’t exactly say he was over it. Though he supposed it was what it was. There was no need to dwell on something he had no control over, right? Yeah. If only it were so simple. Ryusui’s brow furrowed and he crossed his arms as he listened to the other generals talk. Preparations for their next journey were in high gear and going well. That was good.

He didn’t have much to say during the meeting. That was actually a good thing. It meant things were going smoothly. Once they were done discussing the day’s agenda, Ukyo, Chrome, and Gen left to handle the individual tasks they’d been assigned. They weren’t even alone a whole sixty seconds before another conversation began.

Senku didn’t look up from the road map on the table before them as he asked, “You get along pretty well with Tsukasa, right?”

“I get along with everybody, yes!” Ryusui laughed.

“Right,” Senku nodded then clarified, “but I’m asking about him specifically.”

“Then I guess your answer is yes,” Ryusui confirmed.

“What do you think of him?” Senku asked.

“Huh?” Ryusui asked right back.

Senku finally looked up from the road map. He crossed his arms and sighed, “What do you think of Tsukasa?”

Ryusui pursed his lips together and thought about it for a moment. This was certainly out of the blue. He shrugged and replied, “Well, I suppose that the first thing that comes to mind is that all the rumors about him were completely unfounded. Is that what you meant?”

“Actually, they weren’t.” Senku shook his head. There was an amused gleam in his eyes that matched the devilish grin on his face a little too well. “I could tell you stories about him that’d keep you up at night.”

“I see.” That might’ve been a threat if he wasn’t already kept up at night with thoughts of Tsukasa. Ryusui held his hands in the air and sighed, “Well then I’m not really sure what you mean.”

“He’s appealing, isn’t he?” Senku asked.

“I’m sorry, what?” Ryusui blinked at him.

“He’s strong and has good looks on his side. Not to mention he’s intelligent, which is also a good quality to have.” Senku shrugged. He stuck his pinky into his ear then added, “Wouldn’t blame anyone for finding that smile of his captivating.”

“I, uh… me either? I guess?” Ryusui agreed even though he was quite confused by what was happening.

“Interesting.”

“Is it?” Ryusui chuckled nervously. He really had no idea what was going on but now he had the strongest urge to get out of there. If Senku was so fond of Tsukasa what the heck was he doing telling him about it? Those two spent enough time together that he could just tell the man himself. Ryusui couldn’t begin to explain just how much he didn’t want to know any of this.

A horrible feeling had already begun to bubble in his gut. It threatened to claw its way out of him and spew vile emotions everywhere. Ryusui hated it. He had no right to feel that way because someone else liked Tsukasa. He certainly had no claim on the guy. Maybe less than no claim. Was negative claim a thing?

At the same time, it wasn’t Senku who figured out how to wake the guy so how good of a match could they really be? Ugh. Ryusui was so bitter. There was an acrid taste upon his tongue as he held back saying just that. He shoved the awful feeling deep down within himself so he could ignore it and forced a smile.

“Yeah,” Ryusui laughed, “he’s a catch anyone would be lucky to have for sure.” It was the best he could manage right now. Anything else he tried to say would end up biting him in the ass. He bit his tongue as he continued to force a smile. Ryusui thought about how comfortable Tsukasa was around Senku, how he even called him a friend. He wondered if the two of them were into one another then who exactly was he to stand in the way? Maybe he’d get to be a best man at the inevitable wedding. That wouldn’t suck at all, nope. It’d be super.

All Ryusui knew was that he needed to get out of there before this conversation continued. He tilted his head and exclaimed, “I’ve got to… things! I’ll catch you later, Senku!”

Ryusui hurried off before he could get a reply. Not a single part of him wanted to prolong that conversation. The less he knew about the way Senku felt about Tsukasa the better. Ryusui wasn’t prepared to deal with the intense flare up of jealousy in his gut. He felt terrible for not being happy for his friends. Even more awful for wishing that Senku hadn’t chosen to confide in him. What kind of person did that make him? The kind he certainly didn’t want to be.

After taking the entire evening to think over the situation instead of sleep at all, Ryusui came to a conclusion. Those two would make a great couple. They were already so close and what was the point in dating someone if they weren’t your best friend, after all? Not to mention that Tsukasa made it crystal clear to Ryusui that they weren’t even friends in his eyes. Basically, he didn’t stand a snowballs chance in hell.

As such, Ryusui came to the only logical decision. He needed to remove himself from the picture all together and give them the chance they deserved to figure things out. He had all the confidence in the world that they’d get there eventually. While he couldn’t exactly stay away from Senku, he sure could do everything in his power to make sure their conversations didn’t stray to the personal side again. That was awful.

On the other hand, Ryusui had a slew of excuses at the ready in order for him not to have to spend time alone with Tsukasa anymore. He threw himself into his work and canceled future sparring sessions. He sent others with messages instead of going himself. If they had to do something together, he made sure to bring someone else along with him. That usually kept him occupied and Tsukasa rather quiet throughout whatever it was.

Part of him felt a bit bad about that but it wasn’t like there was anything stopping the guy from socializing and whatnot. Tsukasa was a big boy and he could talk or not talk to anyone he wanted to. That was out of Ryusui’s control. Heck, if he was really so down about it he could always go complain to his bestie.

Man, Ryusui was still so jealous it was annoying. His stupid feelings were way beyond that of a crush now and he couldn’t stand it. He’d never felt so strongly for anyone else before. It was terrifying. Also confusing. And probably ironic since he was the one that turned Tsukasa away in the first place. Life sure had a cruel sense of humor.

He did this for the better part of two weeks and found that it didn’t make the ache in his chest any better. Of course it didn’t. Ryusui knew firsthand that it wasn’t that simple to get over a crush. There was still some small part of him that wished it was, though. His unwanted feelings would fade eventually as long as he stayed the current course and focused his attention on anything but the object of his affection. While deep down he knew it was for the best, it was also a shame since he really missed spending time with Tsukasa. Though that was easier to deal with when he thought about how they apparently weren’t friends. Thinking about that would probably sting for the rest of his life.

Ryusui sighed and continued on his way towards a familiar cave over by the shore on the edge of the island. Mirai asked him to retrieve something she’d left there since she was busy running her snack stand. He had to admit that he was quite proud of the little business woman she’d grown into. She wouldn’t even give _him_ a discount and he loved it.

When he entered the cave he found himself surprised that there was already a light spell cast. Maybe Mirai forgot she asked him to stop by, or maybe she just got impatient. Ryusui walked deeper into the cave, following the path lit by the glowing orbs on either side of himself. Once he reached the main room he stopped in his tracks. No, it wasn’t her. It was Tsukasa that stood at the side of the bed he’d slept in for over a year.

Tsukasa looked lost in thought, maybe even a little somber. Ryusui certainly didn’t want to interrupt this private moment so he took a step backwards. Then he had to hold back a surprised yelp. He had no idea what he kicked, maybe a pebble or something, but it made the loudest sound known to man as it rolled away. He stiffened when Tsukasa turned towards him. So much for a quick getaway before he was noticed. All right. What now?

His gaze fell to the ground and he wondered what he should say. The longer the silence went on between them the more extreme Ryusui’s urge to fill it with some kind of sound became. Eventually he forced himself to mutter a soft, “Hey…”

“Were you looking for me?” Tsukasa asked.

“No!” Ryusui exclaimed. He really didn’t mean to yell it like that but it was too late now. He glanced at Tsukasa to see that he wasn’t looking at him and had that contemplative look upon his face again. It was the look that made Ryusui want to pick his brain. Just what was it that had him so distracted? Not that he had the right to ask. The guy might share something like that with a friend but, well, they both knew where they stood on that front. Ryusui let out a defeated sigh then muttered, “I’ll just get out of your way.”

“Would you be interested in going for a walk along the shore since it’s almost sunset?” Tsukasa asked loudly.

Ryusui paused and thought about it. That was when the sea was most beautiful and he loved to watch the myriad of colors in the sky reflect upon the ocean’s surface. He couldn’t help but smile as he thought about how warm the sight made him feel. Ryusui nodded and replied, “Hey, that sounds great. I’ll go see if anyone else is free.”

“I meant just the two of us,” Tsukasa clarified.

Ryusui waved a dismissive hand in his direction and turned to leave. He made sure his voice was loud enough to carry and be heard as he replied, “Nonsense. The more the merrier. It’ll be nice.”

“How long are you going to be upset with me?” Tsukasa sighed.

Ryusui stopped mid-step and turned back around. He shook his head then said, “I’m not.”

“Clearly you are,” Tsukasa disagreed. “You haven’t so much as looked me in the eye since you got here.”

“If it bothers you that much then why not have your good friend Senku do it?” Ryusui snapped. Whoops. Still bitter, apparently. He certainly hadn’t meant to _sound_ it. That familiar awful feeling started to bubble in his gut and Ryusui immediately regretted bringing up the subject at all.

Tsukasa’s brow knitted together and he had a look upon his face like he didn’t understand those words. He tilted his head, which made his long hair fall to one side then asked, “Ryusui… are you jealous?”

“Of course not! I’m happy for you two!” Ryusui shrieked. He really wished he could convince himself of that fact. Maybe if he yelled it loudly enough he’d start to believe it.

“Huh?” Tsukasa scrunched his face and blinked at him.

“I’m just… a little hurt, I guess…” Ryusui sighed. Well, there it was. He’d gone and said it out loud. Who knew what’d happen next? Hearing it said made it feel even more real somehow and he felt just awful. The desire to flee this scene was even stronger now.

Tsukasa took a cautious step towards him then stopped. “Why?”

Ryusui really hoped he didn’t look as vulnerable as he felt when he whispered, “You really don’t see me as a friend?”

“No, I don’t.”

Ryusui’s shoulders slumped and his gaze fell to the ground. Damn. After he’d just admitted that he was hurt too. Tsukasa’s honesty sure did cut deep sometimes. Ryusui didn’t know how to describe what he was feeling. Friendship was the bare minimum of what he wanted from the guy and he couldn’t even have that much. Life sure was cruel. He turned his back to Tsukasa so there was no way he could see the pained look upon his face as he mumbled, “Sorry I asked.”

“You… are so much more than that to me.” Tsukasa admitted. The blond didn’t continue to leave but he also didn’t look back at him. Tsukasa shook his head and explained, “You’re the first thing I think about when I wake up in the morning and the last thing on my mind before I fall asleep at night.”

Ryusui’s eyes widened. Say what now? That was the last thing he expected to hear. Hopeful butterflies fluttered in his gut and he turned around so he could look at Tsukasa. The blush he saw in the usually stoic man’s cheeks was one of the cutest things he’d ever seen in his life. If he had a camera right now he would snap a picture so he could always look back at this. Evidently the guy wasn’t finished because he began to speak once again.

“I’ve thought a lot about what it is that I like about you and couldn’t think of anything that I _didn’t_ like. From your smile, to the way the sun makes your hair practically glow, to your enthusiasm about life… but there’s just one thing that I always find most appealing.” Tsukasa put his hands upon the nearby bed. He shut his eyes and said, “I still remember the very first time I heard you laugh. I’d given up hope of ever having a normal life again. Then I heard it. A voice, no, _your_ voice. Your laugh cut through the darkness I was lost in and brought me back to the light. Never had I heard a more beautiful sound. I wanted to know the source of it, then once I did, I wanted to be the cause of it.”

Ryusui couldn’t even squeak. He didn’t move. He didn’t dare breathe. If this was a dream, he’d better never wake up again. Living a life where this never actually happened would be impossible.

Tsukasa opened his eyes and looked over at the shocked blond. His voice was soft yet full of determination as he said, “I’ve been in love with you since before we ever met. Sometimes I need someone to talk to about that and Senku is surprisingly easy to bribe if you’ve got something he wants.” Tsukasa averted his gaze and muttered, “Though I think he reached his limit for a good while.”

Senku what? If he knew about this what the heck had those questions been about? Just what was he thinking? Realization suddenly hit Ryusui like a ton of bricks. Senku had been trying to gauge _his_ feelings for Tsukasa, not talk about ones he harbored. That actually made a whole lot of sense now that he thought about it. He could hardly believe he’d just up and assumed the worst.

Wait a second.

“You’ve been in _what_ with me!” Ryusui shrieked. Yeah it was a delayed reaction and no he didn’t care. His jaw dropped and his cheeks burned so much they hurt.

Tsukasa’s smile didn’t quite reach his eyes as he replied, “It’s ridiculous, I know. Being so into someone who clearly doesn’t see me the same way.” He rubbed the back of his neck then sighed, “But try as I might, I can’t do anything about these feelings I have for you.”

Ryusui opened his mouth then shut it again. How was he supposed to respond to this? Now he was sure he must be dreaming. What were words and how did they work? Was forming coherent sentences always this difficult?

He continued to stare at Tsukasa in disbelief. The guy had that contemplative look upon his face again. He seemed to have accepted whatever was going through his head because he started to leave. Ryusui noticed that he wouldn’t even look at him. The tables certainly had turned. Just as Tsukasa was about to walk past him Ryusui acted on impulse and hugged him. Unsurprisingly, he received a surprised grunt.

Ryusui’s voice cracked as he exclaimed, “Sorry! I just didn’t know what to say and you were leaving so I panicked!”

Tsukasa huffed softly and shook his head. Yep, that was just like the blond. He put his arms on Ryusui’s shoulders and pried him off of himself. The blond’s hands fell to his side and he bowed his head just enough for his bangs to fall into his face. Tsukasa’s tone was soft and reassuring as he said, “It’s all right, you don’t have to do that. I understand, really. Don’t worry about it.” When he didn’t get so much as a grunt in response he reached out and brushed Ryusui’s bangs aside. His eyes widened at the sight of the blond’s quivering bottom lip. “Are you all right?”

Ryusui shook his head. He was so overwhelmed by everything right now that he couldn’t even respond the way he wanted to. This time it was Tsukasa that pulled him into a comforting embrace. Ryusui didn’t fight it. He sniffled and clung to the man desperately, as if letting go might make him disappear.

Tsukasa tilted his head downwards and sighed against the blond’s hair. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said anything.”

“You should’ve said something _weeks_ ago,” Ryusui finally managed to say. Oh, thank god, he found his ability to make coherent sentences again. He looked up at Tsukasa and blinked, an unmistakably happy gleam in his eyes. He fisted both hands in the soft fur of Tsukasa’s cloak then leaned in and pressed their lips together. Once he broke the kiss, he kept his eyes shut and hummed, “You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to do that.”

It took Ryusui a second to realize that he hadn’t gotten a response. He opened his eyes to see that Tsukasa was wide-eyed and his whole face was red. The sight sure was cute for someone with such a naturally intimidating aura. Ryusui chuckled softly then continued to grin as he asked, “What’s that look for? You’re the one that confessed to me!”

“I didn’t think you’d…” Tsukasa’s response trailed off and he pursed his lips together.

“Steal your second kiss? Well, I _am_ the greediest man in the world, after all. I’ll be taking your third kiss now too, as well as the fourth and–” Ryusui inhaled sharply through his nose when Tsukasa kissed him. He shut his eyes and completely melted into it. His arms wormed their way around Tsukasa’s neck and he felt hands slide up his back. A chill ran down Ryusui’s spine. Nothing in his life had ever felt so right. There was only one thing he could possibly say to describe what he was feeling right now.

“Hey Tsukasa?” Ryusui whispered against his lips.

“Mm?” Tsukasa just barely rubbed their noses together.

“I love you, too.”

A warm smile spread across Tsukasa’s face then he put his left hand on the back of Ryusui’s head. The other tightened around the blond’s waist and held him firmly against his chest. Then he kissed him again. There was no hesitation this time. This meeting of lips was on a whole other level than the previous ones. It was confident and passionate in a way that made Ryusui’s legs threaten to give out. Not that Tsukasa would let him fall even if they did.

Ryusui broke the kiss and turned his head so he could snicker softly. He noticed Tsukasa’s curious expression and smiled from ear to ear as he teased, “I can’t believe you confessed to me in what is essentially your bedroom, that’s so embarrassing. I can’t wait to tell literally everyone.”

Tsukasa’s eyes widened but they quickly returned to the natural state. He huffed and tilted his head then asked, “Is there any way I can convince you not to do that?”

“I’m easily bribed with kisses.” Ryusui nodded. He twisted one of the long strands of Tsukasa’s hair around his finger and bat his eyes playfully.

“I see,” Tsukasa nodded, “As luck would have it, I happen to have quite a few of those on hand.”

“Mhm, tell me more about your hands…” Ryusui purred as he took Tsukasa’s hand in his and threaded their fingers together.

“That’s not what I said at all.” Tsukasa huffed.

“I know and I don’t care.” Ryusui grinned.

The corners of Tsukasa’s mouth turned upwards in a knowing smile then he asked, “You just want me to kiss you again, don’t you?”

“I’d prefer if you didn’t stop, actually,” Ryusui laughed. “We’ve got a bit of time to make up for.”

Tsukasa huffed softly in amusement and rolled his eyes. The fondness in them as he watched Ryusui’s grin widen was unmistakable. He squeezed the blond’s hand and teased, “Are you sure you’re the same person that broke my curse then told me there was no such thing as true love?”

“Shut up and kiss me.”

“You’re the one still talki–”

Ryusui didn’t give Tsukasa a chance to finish. He leaned in and pressed their lips together yet again. They both chuckled into the kiss and Ryusui swore he might explode from the happiness he felt. It swelled inside of his entire being until he was so warm inside he was sure he’d combust. Yet he didn’t. Tsukasa’s presence kept him grounded. Enough to see just how crazy his desire to scream at the top of his lungs about how happy he felt was. Knowing it was insane didn’t guarantee he wouldn’t do it though. Only time would tell.

They pulled away from the kiss then a grin spread across Ryusui’s face. He wasn’t sure he’d ever be able to stop smiling now. Tsukasa leaned his forehead against his and shut his eyes. Ryusui didn’t know what it was about this moment that made it feel so perfect. It was almost as if it was supposed to happen. He wanted it to last forever. Maybe with Tsukasa it could. If this combined feeling of cautious hope and unbridled affection was what everyone referred to as true love, then he might just be made into a believer yet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the group scene was fun. i like writing about chars that dont necessarily interact doing so XD
> 
> gen sees the sparks between you two ryusui dont even tryyyy and lie >:3
> 
> theyre so soft at the end i cant deal -sobs- its what they deserve!!!!!
> 
> god just you wait ryusui... tsukasa is a cuddle monster and youre gonna be the happiest man alive because of it <3
> 
> thanks for reading!! back to weeping over them i go...


End file.
